1. Field of the Invention
This invention is generally directed to head rest supports and more specifically to supports of the type which are designed to elevate the head in order to protect an individual's coiffure. The device of the present invention is intended for use when an individual is sleeping or resting to support the head so that the individual's hair is not matted or crushed against a surface such as a pillow or mattress and thus elevates the head without interfering with the individual's hair style.
2. History of the Related Art
There are many occasions when individuals find it necessary to have their hair stylized for social and other functions a day or two prior to the event. In these situations, individuals desire to maintain or protect their coiffure which is extremely difficult especially during periods when the individuals are sleeping. In the past, many individuals simply slept in a seated position so as not to mat or mess their hair. In other instances, a pillow or other object may be placed under the nape of the neck and no support is provided to the upper portion of the head. However, resting or sleeping with only a support under the neck can result in a stiff neck and discomfort and pain.
In order to overcome the deficiencies in the prior art, it has been proposed to provide modified head rests for purposes of supporting an individual's head to either protect their hair style or to make sleeping more comfortable when rollers or other objects are placed in the hair to create a hair style. U.S. Pat. No. 3,035,279 to Stead discloses a head rest having a shoulder rest from which extends a fan shaped comb device having a plurality of spaced fingers which extend outwardly beyond the nape of the neck to a position in which the comb extends into the hair and provides a support for the back of the head when the head rest is in use. Unfortunately, this type of device only provides proper support for the head when the individual is reclined on their back. This limits a person to one sleeping position which is not a practical solution to protecting the hair style during periods of rest.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,283,344 to Blanchard a similar type of head rest is disclosed which includes a cushion for engaging the nape or back of the neck and a series of "comb-like" fingers which extend through the hair which provide a yieldable support for the back of the head. Again, the sleeping position of the individual is restricted and therefore this device is also not a practical solution to the problem of protecting the hair style. Another head rest which is engagable with the nape of the neck and which is provided with "comb-like" fingers which extend through the hair for supporting the back of an individual's head from a surface is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,296,634 to Rusnak.
A variation of previously mentioned head rests for supporting an individual's head is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,480,976 to Yavner. Yavner's device includes a u-shaped cushion which surrounds the individual's neck and provides primary support at the back of the neck. The device further includes a "comb-like" structure which, like the aforementioned prior art devices, supports the back of the individual's head when the individual is reclined. Again, this type of device does not provide a support which would enable a person to protect their hair style and yet sleep in a variety of positions, such as on their back or on their sides.